3. Isabella

Chapter 3

Isabella

My heart is racing full speed and I can’t seem to get it to slow down.

The flight was an hour long, and we arrive in the dark, late at night, at his family’s holiday home on a secluded private beach.

I can hear and smell the ocean as we climb the steps into the mansion of a house, but I can’t see it. The outline looms around us, daunting and ominous.

It’s a dark night and only the stars are shining above us. The moon is narrow and hiding in a Cheshire cat grin.

Nico walks in first. Lights come on as he moves through the place.

The more light spills through, the more I settle.

It’s beautiful, open and bright and I imagine those tall glass windows let in all the natural sunlight and ocean views - but my body is too tense to really take much of it in.

Nico turns to look at me. His eyes trace up and down my body and I see the heat in his gaze. I bite my lip.

My wedding dress was ripped so badly my underwear is on display. I am exposed and uncomfortable.

I’ve never been with a man. Marcus was going to be my first tonight.

It was another reason he was so hell bent on marrying me - because I wasn’t supposed to do anything until I was married. He is so weirdly obedient to mafia law that he was willing to wait until I was his wife before taking my virginity.

It made me sick - the idea of him being the first man to take me like that. Or ever. I never wanted to be with him. I hate him.

I close my eyes for a moment, trying to push the thought away. It will never happen now. I’m free of him.

I’m free of him because Nico took a massive risk and saved me from my fate.

When I open my eyes, Nico is standing closer to me. He reached out and touched my face. “Are you ok? You’re very pale. I promise you - you are safe here.”

His touch sends sparks shooting down my spine.

The look in his eyes, the smile that touches his lips, I’m falling towards him, seeking comfort in his presence.

Before I know what I’m doing, I wrap my arms around his neck and stand on my tiptoes - pressing my lips against his mouth.

He freezes in surprise, his hands on my waist, and completely lets go of whatever resistance he was holding onto.

He wraps his arms around me and lifts me up, my legs around his waist as he carries me upstairs.

My heart is racing.

In the bedroom he lowers me to the ground, and I feel his hand knotting in my hair which has fallen loose in the escape. His fingers pull at my hair and tilt my head back.

A low growl escapes his lips as he rips the last shreds of my dress from my body.

I can feel his cock rock-hard and pressed against me when he leans down to kiss me again.

I tug his shirt open and gasp as my hands run over his sculpted chest, his toned abs, the way his hips curve into an arrow down towards his cock.

He kisses me harder, deepening the intensity of the overwhelming emotions rushing through me.

The way he makes my body scream is taking away all the fear, all the anxiety. It’s making me forget everything.

Nico steps away from me and grabs his belt, pulling it loose. He licks his lips as he watches me.

The white lace underwear I am wearing hides nothing at all. My nipples are shining through the thin fabric and for a moment, I’m self-conscious. But I see the way he is responding to it and give in - I let go of everything.

Naked, he lifts me and spreads me out on the bed.

I gasp when he grabs my panties and tears them off me. “I don’t think you need these,” He growls, a mischievous grin touching his lips.

He spreads my legs wide and I moan softly as he pushes his finger inside me.

“You’re dripping.” His voice vibrates through me.

He moves up the bed, pinning me down beneath his body.

“Nico.” I whisper.

He pauses, looking into my eyes with such intensity my heart almost stops.

“I - I’ve never done this before.” I confess.

His jaw muscles clench.

“Is this what you want?” He asks, watching my every move.

“Yes.” I say, without even a second of hesitation.

He watches me for a little longer before he moves, stroking his cock over my pussy.

“Tell me - if you want to stop.” He whispers against my ear and I rock my hips up towards him.

“I don’t want to stop.”

He pushes his cock into me. Slowly, sinking deeper, inch by inch.

I cry out as his massive cock stretches me open and sends waves of pleasure and pain shooting through me at the same time.

He pauses, letting me adjust to the size of him.

My body shudders and my heart races. I dig my nails into his shoulders.

Again, I rock my hips up towards him. Pleasure is stronger than pain and I want to feel everything.

He thrusts into me, moving back and forth, sending shockwaves of desire through me.

I moan at first and get louder as he moves faster.

His body was made for me. Everything about him seems perfect. The way he moves, the way he is touching me - and the way he fits inside me - I can’t get enough.

The desire is building by the second.

I’m not thinking about anything but him - and this moment - and it is pure bliss.

His cock slams into me as he speeds up, burying himself so deep inside me I feel like he might split me apart. But somehow I still want more of him.

I arch my back and he slips his hand beneath my ass, lifting my hips up towards him as he fucks me harder and harder.

Until I can’t bear it for another second.

My legs shake, my body goes rigid, and an orgasm more intense than anything I’ve ever experienced in my life explodes through me.

He gets harder inside me and erupts with his own pleasure.

I take a long time to catch my breath.

My heart is racing again, but for a different reason.

He slowly pulls out of me, brushing the hair away from my eyes. “Are you ok?” he asks.

I nod, smiling at him, lost in his eyes. What is going on with my heart? I can’t get it to calm down. Looking at him makes me feel - it’s like I know him. But I don’t. I’m tied to him in ways I can’t explain.

Is it because I lost my virginity to him? Is that how it is for everyone?

He chuckles. “Did you enjoy that?”

I nod again, and my cheeks flush pink. I really enjoyed that.

I don’t even know this man, and I gave him my virginity.

It’s liberating, as though it was my first free choice. My first moment of being in charge of my life.

“I have a few phone calls to make. You can take a shower, do whatever you want - but don’t leave the property.” He says, rolling off me and out of the bed and pulling a pair of sweatpants from the closet. He slips into them and I admire his body again, heating with another dose of desire for him.

Then Nico leaves the room, and my stomach knots.

His presence was a welcome distraction and a source of comfort I didn’t realize I was relying on so heavily. Now that I am alone in here, lying naked on the bed, I have a deep fear settling over me again.

I am so grateful for his help - but what have I done? What choice have I made here?

Am I going to be on the run forever now? Did I do the right thing?

In the morning, Nico is awake before me. I find him in the kitchen making us some coffee. My eyes trace over his back muscles, admiring the way they flex when he moves.

He turns around when he realizes I’m there and I glance away.

“Morning.” I smile.

“Morning. Do you take sugar?”

“One. Thanks.”

“There is a packet on the counter over there. Color contact lenses, to hide those beautiful green eyes of yours and hair dye. They are looking for a dark-haired, green-eyed girl. So you are going to become a blonde-haired blue-eyed girl, able to slip past unnoticed in the crowds.”

I peek inside the packet. “Is this really necessary?” I ask, my anxiety heightened.

He picks up a remote control and unmutes the TV in the living room. Through the open plan area I turn towards it and my mouth drops open. My face is on the screen - in a box down in the bottom corner. Marcus is filling the rest of the screen, talking into a microphone, addressing a crowd of reporters. “Please, all I want is the safe return of my beloved fiancé who was kidnapped last night - the night of our wedding . I will reward anyone who provides information that leads to the safe return of my beloved fiancé to our loving home. Photos of her are being spread throughout the media and -” Nico clicks mute again.

“Still think you don’t need to change your appearances?” He asks, handing me a cup of coffee. I take it from him and stare at the dark creamy liquid still spinning in the mug after being stirred.

“I guess - I guess I’m going blonde.” I whisper.

I shake my head. “I hate him.” I mutter. “I hate how he makes it look like he’s so caring and loving and like all he wants is to have me back - he doesn’t care about me at all.”

Tears burn at the back of my eyes and blink hard to push them away.

Nico steps close to me. “Hey, you never have to see him again. I’m going to get you far away from here. It’s going to be ok.” His voice is so gentle it makes me scared. Scared because it tugs at my heart, pulling me towards him. I need to be strong right now - not leaning on some guy I hardly know. I wish I was strong.

“How?” I ask, not trusting that it’s possible to escape a man like Marcus.

“There is a new identity being made for you as we speak. It will be ready later today. With your new look, your new identity and being far away from this city — you’ll be ok.”

“What about my money? Everything is tied up in my trust.”

“I had your trust emptied. All of it was moved to an off shore account. I’ll show you how to access it. You’ve got money, and a new life waiting for you. All you need to do is have the courage to grab it.”

I lift my head up and push my shoulders back. Forcing myself to take a deep breath.

“I have the courage.” I say - sounding more confident than I feel.

“Good.” He smiles, touching his fingertips under my chin and looking right into my eyes. My heart skips a beat. I don’t know how I will ever thank him for what he’s done for me.

He is still staring at me.

The look in his eyes - it’s intimate.

I blink that idea away.

No. Nico doesn’t care about me. He doesn’t even know me. He helped me because his sister asked him to - that’s all. Lina has always made comments about what a player her brother is - how he has new women every week. I can’t let him rankle me. I’m another one of his flings. Nothing more. Nothing less.